Author Topic: Exhaustion is setting in!  (Read 3935 times)

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Offline Les

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Exhaustion is setting in!
« on: February 12, 2018, 04:39:53 pm »
We are in such a quandary.......our dear Nikky (18 year old cat) has gone deaf and to make thing worse he has dementia.  Yup, who knew a cat could develop dementia.  Other than that, the old boy is as healthy as an ox.  Found that out after a $240 senior cat lab profile, yeesh! Losing muscle tone and getting thin but never misses a meal, he actually beats the other two down the stairs at dinner time.    The dementia has manifested itself by him caterwauling all night long and to top it off, he does it in the bathroom so the tile can give it that extra echo effect.   We shut the bedroom door but his howling still gets through.  Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse, we had two cats fighting outdoors under our bedroom window and the ten pounds of terror sleeping with us was barking up a storm at the cats.  It was like we were sleeping at the zoo.   Howling, hissing, meowing, barking ahhhhhh!
I know, I know there are probably some of you (non cat lovers) thinking we need to send Nikky off onto a blazing Viking ship but just the thought of it makes me well up.  So, I have settled on a plan......if we can't sleep at night, he can't sleep during the day and I mean allllll day.  Every time, I catch him snoozing I am going to pick him up and cuddle him awake.  Stay tuned for the results.


Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2018, 07:32:43 pm »
"cuddle him awake"  Oh what a sweet way of managing your cat.  Instead of resenting his old age, you are making the most of it.  I am tearing up. 
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Offline Jen

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2018, 10:02:51 pm »
Hi Les, if I were an old cat I would sure like for you to be my mommy  ;) 8)

Have you ever heard of or considered medical cannibus for your cat? I have been helping people and pets with CBD oil for a couple of years now. I'm thinking that doses of CBD cannibus will calm Nikky down at night.

https://www.allthebestpetcare.com/information-library/what-hemp-cbd-can-do-for-your-dog-or-cat/

https://consciouscat.net/2015/03/30/pot-for-pets-how-medical-marijuana-can-help-your-cat/
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Offline neillsayers

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2018, 11:01:48 pm »
I agree with Jen, help the old fella zone out in his twilight.

I hope someone is as patient with me if I live that long.
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Offline Jen

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2018, 12:14:03 am »
Me too Neil, I have a friend who is taking care of her 90 year old mother who is in full on alzheimers and is a screamer. She's been giving her dear mom CBD oil in her cup of tea with honey and milk every morning, for a couple months now. Mom isn't screaming anymore and is actually engaging in conversation again. Incredible and such a blessing of peace in the household.
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Offline neillsayers

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2018, 02:08:29 am »
Jen,

Don't mean to hijack Les's thread but it wasn't until recently I had been made aware of the medicinal uses of cannabis. It shows a lot of promise.


How old is an 18 yo cat in human years? Just wondering, I know it would be an ancient dog.
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Offline Les

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2018, 12:07:49 pm »
I love this forum, everyone has such great insights and ideas.  Thanks Jen, I never even thought about the CBD.  Any suggestions as to what strength I should purchase?

Update:  He only woke us twice last night!

Offline Jen

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2018, 12:54:00 pm »
Les, I would start here, follow the instructions on the bottle for the weight of you cat.

https://www.amazon.com/Hemp-Oil-Dogs-Cats-375mg/dp/B07913GY4C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1518543365&sr=8-2&keywords=cbd+for+cats+and+dogs

You need to know that you cannot overdose with CBD medication with your pets. The most important thing to know and follow is that the oil or treats you give Nikky does not contain any THC. So don't use any medical marijuana from anyone's home made recipe.

If after about 1 week, if Nikky is still anxious, double the dose, it won't hurt her in any way. The smart way to use CBD is to move up slowly with the dosage until you feel Nikky is comfortable. Take a couple of weeks to do this. Don't be afraid to be generous with you dosage but remember that, for example, 10 drops of oil does the trick, then 20 drops is simple a loss of medicine and money.

I'll make a seperate post about how I helped my sweet elderly dog with CBD.

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Offline Les

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2018, 04:25:19 pm »
You are a sweetheart, thank you so much

Offline Jen

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2018, 11:20:07 pm »
You are so welcome Les...

My story with my Katy.


Katy lived to be 14 years old. She was about 3 years when we noticed some slight wobbliness every once in a while. By the time she was 12 years she was having several seizures a day. They didn't really alter her life or cause her any pain tho, until she was 13, then she was having trouble with falling down, and also trouble holding up her back end so she could pooh. She was in good spirits and still a hearty appetite. Then arthritis set in deeper and she would stay in our bedroom and sleep a lot. So I started the CBD oil in her food twice a day ( I make my own). Within a week, she started coming out into the livingroom with us again, she would come out into the back yard and watch us mow the lawn. She was able to get up and down the stairs to the back yard and hold her rump up without falling down to pooh. She wagged her tail more. However, by the time she reached 14 she was filled with cancer, so we took her to the vet and sent her to heaven. I believe with all of my heart that the last year of her life was so much more comfortable. Now, I make my own oil for myself and arthritis, and for others in pain, and for others and their pets. Very gratifying. Keep us posted on your sweet Nikky ~Hugs
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Offline Les

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #10 on: February 18, 2018, 10:58:26 pm »
Jen we all do the best we can to keep our pets healthy and happy, you are an inspiration for me.
Have not received the oil yet but I started feeding some extra food around 11 pm and he seems to have quieted down a bit, except he still doesn't miss 5 am.  I forgot to mention he is a Herpes Virus carrier, so it has caused him some health issues through out his life.  Such as excessive drooling and eyes that run.  If I give him 500 mg of Lysine twice a day it helps keep the ravages of the virus down.  I got forgetful and stopped giving it to him but I am back on the regime again and he seems ever so slightly perkier.  Sometimes I sit and watch him at night to watch for respiration and then I cry....... I am such a wimp.

Offline Jen

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #11 on: February 19, 2018, 12:55:33 am »
I can't wait for you to get your medicine for him. He's so lucky to have you to take care of him. Keep us posted, I'll be eager to hear.
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2018, 11:53:36 pm »
les, i have no advice to offer.........just encouragement.....do what you need to do!
i love my critters and have always taken care of them......my critters ......they took care of me. any critter lover knows what i am saying. they are family.
i have spent a great deal of money on vet bills and more.......held them when they were sick, nursed them back to health with the help of a vet, long term treatment for a disease or whatever, and have spent many sleepless nights and worrisome times.
i get it.

for some folks that aren't cat lovers.......oh well. no different than those who have other critters they care about.

like jen said, keep us posted about nikky!
i keep wild things in a box..........™
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Offline Les

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #13 on: March 16, 2018, 02:34:56 pm »
Just an update on Nikky.  Tried the CBD but it did nothing for him.  Back to the vet and much to my dismay, we had to put him on Xanax.  I have been functioning on about 4-5 hrs sleep on a good night because his caterwauling would be intermittent all night. First dose of Xanax and I am a wreck watching him stumble and tumble.  He fell down the basement stairs because he is loopy, so I had to move the litter box upstairs and will have to figure out a way to keep him out of the basement but let the other two cats get downstairs.  :\'(

Offline Jen

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #14 on: March 16, 2018, 03:15:48 pm »
I'm so sorry for you guys and for Nikky. Did you try and double the dose of the CBD? It won't hurt him nor make him wonky, he may just need more.
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Offline Perry

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #15 on: March 16, 2018, 05:22:26 pm »
We do what we do, and when it comes to our pets, no regrets.
In the last month, Copper broke a toe on her left rear paw (cost us $450 to have that figured out) and if we choose to have the toe removed another $1,000. We decided to wait and she seems to be just fine with the crooked toe.
Two weeks later we are at the dog park and as Penny ran past a young black lab it nipped her in the left flank. Greyhounds have tissue paper for skin so needless to say it opened her up pretty good, 2 several inches long gashes. This of course happens Saturday evening so emergency call out for the vet, sedation and a whack of stitches ($551).
If this keeps up I am gonna have to get another job. ;D
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #16 on: March 16, 2018, 05:54:13 pm »
oh i love giving pills to kitties!......... :D

les, do you isolate him at night?

when he crashes, where does he crash (nap)? might have some thoughts for you.
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Offline neillsayers

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #17 on: March 16, 2018, 09:08:59 pm »
Perry,

poor little Penny, all she was doing was winning-don't you hate sore losers. :)
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Offline Jen

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #18 on: March 16, 2018, 09:48:56 pm »
River brought a thought to mind.

Les, there is pet day care, would there be pet night care? I'll bet so, because lots of people work nights.

Or, maybe pet night care during the week when you have to get up in the morning. Or, pet night care on weekends when you would like to sleep in and have a nap too.

There is the expense tho

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Offline Les

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Re: Exhaustion is setting in!
« Reply #19 on: March 17, 2018, 01:33:48 am »
Jen, I did double the dose.....made no difference.
My other two boys get sequestered in the basement at night and as I write, Nikky is curled up sleeping next to me.  That is a big change, he usually paces all night. During the day he is in his bed next to the heat but any suggestions are welcome. I have to feed him in the bathroom and shut the door when he is eating because my stinker pup likes to bogart his food.  Fingers crossed we can manage his issues. It is the least I can do for him.  In his younger days he was quite an empathic cat and got me through some very, very dark days.  So, that is why he is so special to me.  Time to pay it forward as they say.  I am retired and i am home most days.  I think day care would be upsetting to him since it would take him away from his familiar environment.
Perry, poor Penny....she’s had a rough go of things hasn’t she?  And Cooper too?  Good thing they have good parents.
Thanks everyone for your big hearts!